HAMILTON – The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum announced the Induction Class of 2013 today, inviting Dan Ferrone, Brian Fryer, Miles Gorrell and Earl Winfield in the player category. In the Builder category John (Jake) Ireland and Don Loney (posthumously) have been selected.

DAN FERRONE (Player):

Dan Ferrone was a member of the Toronto Argonauts from 1981– 1988, and 1990 – 1992 and a member of the Calgary Stampeders in 1989 during his playing time in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Dan Ferrone played a total of 213 games in his career.

Ferrone retired as the eighth all-time Toronto Argonaut with 175 career games played. In 2002, Dan Ferrone became the Toronto Argonauts offensive line coach and in 2003 the team’s president. In 2006 Dan was named as an All-time Argo and in 2007 he also was named to the All-Time Argo Team list as a guard.

He was an All-Eastern Guard during the years of 1983-1987 and 1990 – 1992, an All-Western Guard in 1989, and was an All-Canadian Guard the years 1984, 1985, 1987, 1990 and 1991.

He participated in 4 Grey Cup games winning two of them in 1983 and 1991.

A 10 year Argo captain, Dan Ferrone is also a ten time-team nominated Outstanding Lineman and two-time league finalist. His other accomplishment was that he was the President of the Canadian Football League Players Association (CFLPA) from 1993-2002.

Dan is also a member of the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame inducted in 2000.

BRIAN FRYER (Player):

Brian Fryer was a three time Canada West All-Star when he played for the University of Alberta. During his four seasons at the University, Fryer finished second all-time in Canada West history in the following categories; Most receiving yards in a season with 1,068 (Canada West record during 1975), Most receptions in a season with 58 (Canada West record during 1975), Most receiving touchdowns in a season with 14, Most receiving yards with 2,655, and Most receptions with 136.

Some of Fryer’s university highlights include scoring five all-purpose touchdowns in a single game during the 1973 season. During the 1974 season, Fryer was the first player in CIAU (now the CIS) history to have over 1,000 yards, and he also set the single game record for receiving yards with 227. Fryer’s final achievement in his university days was that he was the winner of the inaugural Bill Woywitka Trophy for being the Most Valuable Player on his team.

Once Fryer’s playing days with the University of Alberta were over, he was selected by the Washington Redskins 234th overall in the NFL Draft, where he signed a three-year deal with Washington and became the second Canadian trained at a Canadian university to be drafted and signed by an NFL team. In 1978, Fryer signed with the Edmonton Eskimos and was part of the Eskimos dynasty that won five straight Grey Cups.

Since Fryer’s retirement, he has been the Executive Director of Football Alberta and in 2008; he was inducted into the Alberta High School Sports Hall of Fame.

MILES GORRELL (Player):

Miles Gorrell spent time with five teams in the Canadian Football League, but most notability with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he won his only Grey Cup in 1986. Upon retirement, Gorrell ranked fourth all-time on the CFL service list with 19 seasons (321 games played).

In 2004, Gorrell served as the Director of Canadian Personnel with the Calgary Stampeders, and in 2006, Gorrell signed with the Toronto Argonauts as their personal consultant.

The University of Ottawa, where he played his collegiate football named an award after him. The Miles Gorrell Award is awarded for the Best Offensive Lineman.

EARL WINFIELD (Player):

Earl Winfield spent his entire 11-year career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where his only appearance in the Grey Cup was during the 1989 season. During his time with Hamilton, Winfield is in the top five of many Tiger-Cats records.

During the 1988 season, Winfield returned four punts for touchdowns, which ranks him first on the Tiger-Cats all-time list. During that same season, Winfield had 74 punt returns, which ranks him fifth on the Tiger-Cats all-time list. In one game versus the Toronto Argonauts, Winfield had a combined yardage of 400 yards, which ranks him third all-time in the CFL. And finally during the 1988 season, Winfield became a member of the 1,000 yard receiving club, the first of his career (he also received 1,000 yards four more times during his career 1990, 1993, 1994).

During the 1990 season, Winfield finished the season with 13 receiving touchdowns, which ranks him fourth on the all-time Tiger-Cats list. In a 1993 game versus the Edmonton Eskimos, Winfield sets the Tiger-Cats record with two punt returns for touchdowns. During the 1995 season, Winfield once again ended up on the Tiger-Cats all-time list. During that season, Winfield finished with 1,496 receiving yards and 92 receptions.

Both of these accomplishments place him third on the all-time Tiger-Cats list. In Winfield’s final season, he led the league with 1,320 receiving yards.

Upon retirement, Winfield was fourth all-time in the CFL with 41, 100-yard receiving games, 11th for the combined yards with 14,804, and second with 11 punt returns for touchdowns. For the Tiger-Cats, Winfield is first with 10,119 receiving yards, second with 573 receptions, first with 75 receiving touchdowns, second with 2,834 punt return yards, second with 865 single season punt return yards, and third with 279 punt returns,

In 2005, Earl Winfield became a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Wall of Honour.

JOHN (JAKE) IRELAND (Builder):

John (Jake) Ireland was a CFL official for 555 games which lasted 29 seasons. Ireland’s first game as a CFL official was on June 12, 1979 when the Ottawa Rough Riders played the Montreal Alouettes. During his career, Ireland was an official in 16 Grey Cups, and refereed four straight Grey Cups from 1985 to 1989. Ireland retired as an on-field official in 2008.

Upon retirement, Ireland became the Head of the CFL video replay unit, as well; Ireland also helps fellow referees from the Atom division to the CFL, and is still a linesman for high school games in the Burlington and Oakville area.

John (Jake) Ireland was named the Most Improved Referee in the Lakeshore Association in 1978.

DON LONEY (Builder):

Don Loney, the St. Francis Xavier head coach who coached his team to a 133-31-2 record, nine conference titles, four Atlantic Bowl Championships, six Jewett Trophy Championships, and one Canadian College Bowl Championships.

Before he coached at the St. Francis Xavier, Don Loney played eight seasons in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts and the Ottawa Rough Riders, winning two Grey Cups, and also won the Jeff Russel Trophy in 1950 for being the Most Valuable Player of the East.

While at St. Francis Xavier, Loney was instrumental in creating the Atlantic Bowl in 1960 (Canada’s first post-season invitational game, which became a national semi-final).

While he was instrumental in the creation of the Atlantic Bowl, Loney was also instrumental in the creation of the Canadian College Bowl, which is now called the Vanier Cup that crowns Canada’s national collegiate football champion.

After the 1973 season, the Atlantic Bowl MVP was named after him, and the teams that play for the Jewett Trophy in Atlantic Canada now play in the Loney Bowl.

Along with his coaching duties at St. Francis Xavier, Loney also ran coaches and official clinics & encouraged Maritime universities to play other universities across Canada.

congrats, earl the pearl! I was in the stands when "the hit" took place, still remember everyone amazed he got up. the guy gave everything, every game, no matter how bad the team was playing, earl went up and got the ball.

February 22, 2013 - 10:42am

als rule

not a terribely exciting class this year!! best of the bunch is earl winfield BUT congrats to all!!

February 21, 2013 - 9:00pm

tabbiefanmcb

WHAT? I guess there is just too much "Hamilton" with two ex-Ticats and people with Hamilton connections (Ireland) for you to find it exciting!!! LOL LOL!!! Congratulations to all who will be inducted! A VERY deserving group!

February 22, 2013 - 6:24pm

Gally13

Why does the CFL induct modern players into the hall? Why not have five modern players along with five veterans from the fifties, sixties, and the seventies into the blend with one amateur and one builder? Those veterans from the golden years of Canadian football are not going to be alive much longer; therefore, get them IN before it's too late. By the way, congratulations to all who deserve to be in.

February 21, 2013 - 8:08pm

Tabbies4TW

Good idea, I wish they did this.

February 21, 2013 - 8:59pm

als rule

I can live with that or something like that BUT I wonder why it hasn't been done before or at least discussed!!

February 22, 2013 - 10:15am

robsaw

The HoF selection committee works from an eligibility list that covers the entire span, it doesn't cover eras - and I don't think it should as past eras have been covered quite well and players from old eras still remain on the eligibility list. If you really want to influence a nomination go the HoF website, find out who is on the selection committee and write or email them with a good argument - the selection committee can nominate anyone that meets the eligibility requirements.